Michael Youtt is a senior trial partner in King & Spalding’s worldwide litigation group, with a focus on complex commercial disputes.
Mr. Youtt has particular expertise in securities fraud class actions, SEC enforcement actions, qui tam healthcare whistleblower suits, consumer class actions, and franchisor-franchisee disputes. He also has extensive experience in advising energy and healthcare industry clients in commercial litigation.
Mr. Youtt has handled cases and arbitrations in over 30 states, and provided litigation advice in literally every state and jurisdiction in the United States. Noteworthy clients include Valero Energy, Odyssey Healthcare, Gentiva Healthcare, Shell Oil, MillerCoors, NuStar Energy, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Halliburton, BlueKnight Energy, Memorial Healthcare, Motiva Enterprises, St. Paul Travelers and Bass Pro Stores, along with many individual directors and officers of large and mid-size companies such as Dynegy and Affiliated Computer Services.
Mr. Youtt frequently presents on various commercial litigation topics, most notably director & officer liability and shareholder class actions. Recent publications and speaking engagements include:
- Panelist, D&O Litigation Trends, ACE Insurance Professional Risk panel discussion (October 2011)
- Panelist, Thinking the Improbable—Recent Issues for Directors & Officers in Shareholder Litigation and Government Enforcement Actions, Aon Seminar (August 2010)
- Speaker, Trends in Shareholder Litigation for Corporate Directors & Officers, ACE Insurance Conference (June 2010)
- Panelist, Current Director & Officer Liability Issues, McGriff Seibels Conference (November 2010; September 2009)
- Speaker, The Widening Role of the Federal Securities Laws, Houston Bar Association (April 2004)
- Author, Another Reason To Choose Your Arbitrator Carefully: Possible Sanctions, The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel (August 2006)
- Presenter, Cutting Edge Issues in Class Action Litigation; E-Learn Lecture Series (August 2005)
Mr. Youtt received his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia (1989) and is a 1984 honors graduate of Georgia Tech.
